Participant Handouts for Training Module 4: S.M.A.R.T. Goals and Educator Plan Development
August 2012
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
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This document was prepared by the
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D.
Commissioner
Board of Elementary and Secondary Education Members
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Ms. Beverly Holmes, Vice Chair, Springfield
Dr. Vanessa Calderón-Rosado, Milton
Ms. Harneen Chernow, Jamaica Plain
Mr. Gerald Chertavian, Cambridge
Mr. Matthew Gifford, Chair, Student Advisory Council, Brookline
Dr. Jeff Howard, Reading
Ms. Ruth Kaplan, Brookline
Dr. Dana Mohler-Faria, Bridgewater
Mr. Paul Reville, Secretary of Education, Worcester
Mr. David Roach, Sutton
Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D., Commissioner and Secretary to the Board
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 02148-4906
Phone 781-338-3000 TTY: N.E.T. Relay 800-439-2370
Module 4, Handout 1: What Makes a Goal “S.M.A.R.T.”?[1]
Good goals help educators, schools, and districts improve. That is why the educator evaluation regulations require educators to develop goals that are specific, actionable, and measurable.In addition, the regulations require that the goals be accompanied by action plans with benchmarks to assess progress.
The S.M.A.R.T.goals framework is a useful tool that individuals and teams can use to create effective goals and action plans:
S= Specific and Strategic
M=Measurable
A=Action Oriented
R=Rigorous, Realistic and Results Focused (the 3 Rs)
T=Timed and Tracked
Goals with an action plan and benchmarks that have these characteristics are S.M.A.R.T.
A practical example some of us have experienced in our personal lives can make clear how this SMART goal framework can help turn hopes into actions that have results.
First, here is an example of not being S.M.A.R.T. with goals: I will lose weight and get in condition.
Here is an example of getting S.M.A.R.T.er: Between March 15 and Memorial Day, I will lose 10 pounds and be able to run one mile nonstop.
The hope is now a goal that meets most of the S.M.A.R.T. framework criteria:- Specific and Strategic= 10 pounds, 1 mile
- Measurable= pounds, miles
- Action Oriented= lose, run
- Rigorous, Realistic, and Results Focused (the 3 Rs)= weight loss and running distance
- Timed and Tracked= 10 weeks
S.M.A.R.T. enough: To make the goal really S.M.A.R.T., though, add an action plan and benchmarks. These elementsensure that the goal meets thefinal criteria—timed and tracked. They also strengthen the other criteria, especially when the benchmarks include process benchmarks for tracking progress on the key actions and outcome benchmarks that track early evidence of change and/or progress toward the ultimate goal.
Key Actions:
- Reduce my daily calorie intake to fewer than 1,000 calories for each of 10 weeks.
- Walk 15 minutes a day; increase my time by fiveminutes a week for the next fourweeks.
- Starting in Week 5, run and walk in intervals for 30 minutes, increasing the proportion of time spent running instead of walking until I can run onemile, nonstop, by the end of Week 10.
Benchmarks:
- For process, maintain a daily record of calorie intake and exercise.
- For outcome, biweekly weight loss and running distance targets (e.g., after twoweeks,2 pounds/0 miles; after fourweeks, 4 pounds/0 miles; after sixweeks, 6 pounds/.2 miles; after eightweeks,8 pounds/.4 miles).
S.M.A.R.T. goal statements with action plans and benchmarks will make a difference in schools.
S = Specific and Strategic
Goals need to be straightforward and clearly written, with sufficient specificity to determine whether they have been achieved. A goal is strategic when it serves an important purpose of the school or district as a whole and when it addresses something that is likely to have a largeimpact on theoverall vision.
M = Measurable
If it cannot be measured, itcannot be managed.What measures of quantity, quality, and/or impact will beused to determine whether the goal has been achieved?How will progress along the way be measured?Progress toward achieving the goal typically is measured through benchmarks. Some benchmarks focus on the process, as in are we doing what we said we were going to do? Other benchmarks focus on the outcome, as inare we seeing early signs of progress toward the results?
A = Action Oriented
Goals have active, not passive verbs. The action steps attached to the goalsindicatewho is doing what.Without clarity about what isactually going to be doneto achieve the goal, a goal is only a hope with little chance of being achieved. Making clear the key actions required to achieve a goal helps everyone see how their part of the work is connected to other parts of the work and to a larger purpose. This knowledge helps people stay focused and energized rather than become fragmented and uncertain.
R = Rigorous, Realistic, and Results Focused (the 3 Rs)
A goal is not an activity—a goal makes clear what will be different as a result of achieving the goal.A goal needs to describe a realistic yet ambitious result. It needs to stretch the educator, team, school, or district toward improvement, but it should not be out of reach. The focus and effort required to achieve a rigorous but realistic goal should be challenging but not exhausting.Goals set too high arediscouraging, while goals set too low will leave afeeling of emptiness when they are accomplished and will notserve students well.
T = Timed and Tracked
A goal needs to have a deadline.Deadlines help everyone take action.For a goal to be accomplished, there should be definite times when key actions will be completed and benchmarks will be achieved.Tracking the progress made on action steps (process benchmarks) is essential— falling behind on doing one actionwill result in needing to accelerate the pace on another. Tracking progress on process outcomes is not enough, however. Outcome benchmarks help educatorsknow whether they areon track to achieve thegoal and/or whether they have reached thegoal.Benchmarks give educatorsa way to see progress and celebrate it. They also give educatorsinformation theyneed to make midcourse corrections.
Participant Handouts for Training
Module 4: S.M.A.R.T. Goals and
Educator Plan DevelopmentAugust 2012Page 1 of 12
Module 4, Handout 2: Identifying S.M.A.R.T. Goals
Goal Statement / Is itS.M.A.R.T.? / If NO, Revised Goal StatementI will improve student outcomes in Grade 4 mathematics during the 2012–13 school year.
–Teacher Level
During the 2012–13 school year, our beginner ELL students will improve English language proficiency as measured by a second administration of the district language proficiency assessment used to determine student placement at the beginning of the year.
–Team Level
To increase my staff’s use of student data, I will design meetings to review, analyze, and interpret student data to inform curriculum and instruction.
–Administrator Level
I will manage my time more effectively in order to increase the frequency of classroom observations.
–Administrator Level
Module 4, Handout 3: Laying the Foundation, Part 1
Sample Principal Educator Plan Example: Professional Practice Goal
Module 4, Handout 4: Laying the Foundation, Part 2
Teams will work together using Post-it Notes and a piece of poster paper. Starting with Goal 1, team members will write action steps, one per Post-it Note, to share with the team. As the team members are holding up Post-it Notes, one team member will begin placing them on the poster paper. All action steps should be posted. After action steps are completed for each goal, the team will then work to consolidate and sequence all the action steps. Once consolidated, teams will work together to determine the needed resources and supports and to develop the timeline to complete the Educator Plan.
Goal 1: Student Learning Goal (Individual): In order to ensure mathematical literacy in each of the three content areas for eighth-grade geometry, I will incorporate essay questions into unit assessments that require elaboration of mathematical reasoning so that by the end of the 2012–13 school year, 80 percentor more of my students demonstrate proficiency on essay questions on the end-of-the-year eighth-grade geometry assessment.
Goal 2:Professional Practice Goal (Team):Our eighth-grade mathematics team will become more familiar with instructional strategies proven to provide access to the mathematical curriculum and develop language skills across domains (speaking, listening comprehension, reading, and writing) for Intermediate and Advanced ELLs, such that we are able to implement a minimum of three targeted strategies by the end of the 2012–13 school year and see improvements in ELLs’ achievement in mathematics as a result.
Quickly label your poster paper so it looks like this chart:
Student Learning Goal(s) and Professional Practice Goal(s) Planned ActivityAction / Supports/Resources From School/District / Timeline/Benchmark or Frequency
1. / 1.
Participant Handouts for Training
Module 4: S.M.A.R.T. Goals and
Educator Plan DevelopmentAugust 2012Page 1 of 12
Module 4, Handout 5: Implementation Guide Excerpt (pp. 25–26)
Getting Started
The purpose of the section below is to help educators, evaluators, and school leadership teams get started with the development of Educator Plans, including the refinement of goals and identification of educator action steps and supports and resources the school will provide.
The responsibility for developing Educator Plans is typically shared between educators and evaluators. School leadership and evaluators play a unique role, however, in strategic planning for support.
Conditions for Readiness
This section describes school-wide knowledge, capacity, and information that will increase the readiness of educators and evaluators to effectively implement this step. If schools find that these conditions do not exist, that should not delay implementation. However, strengthening these underlying conditions will increase the likelihood of success. Leadership may need to adjust their communication and professional development strategies and/or add tasks to their implementation plan.
- Knowledge of needed support. Thoughtful self-assessment should give educators a clear idea of their strengths and areas in which they want to grow. This phase provides an opportunity for educators to articulate the supports and resources that will accelerate their professional growth and offer opportunities for feedback for improvement. In addition to formal professional development, team conversation during the self-assessment step may have sparked valuable insights for how the various strengths of team members can be leveraged to provide peer mentoring, coaching, or modeling in support of goal attainment and educator growth. This knowledge will prepare educators on a Self-Directed Growth Plan to individually develop their Educator Plan; prepare educators on a Directed Growth Plan or Developing Educator Plan to work with their evaluator to jointly develop their Educator Plan; and prepare educators on an Improvement Plan to articulate the supports they need to their evaluator as the evaluator develops the Educator Plan.
- Knowledge of available support. Just as educators must know what they need, evaluators must know what they can give. Both evaluators and educators being evaluated will benefit from a clear understanding of what supports are available and realistic. Fiscal and logistical constraints can impede the implementation of seemingly strong Educator Plans and goals. For example, how much common planning time will be available for teams collaborating on unit design? Will individuals have opportunities to observe their peers—and if so, with what frequency? Identifying and communicating the parameters around available support will enable all parties to plan more strategically. As Educator Plans are developed, alignment with district and school priorities and goals continues to be critical; schools need to maintain their focus on goals and activities that hold the greatest promise for advancing the school’s stated priorities.
- Clearly defined evaluation team. Districts may make different choices regarding the use of school leadership, Peer Assistance and Review (PAR) if locally negotiated, and district support in the evaluation process. If there is more than one evaluator at a school, however, the members of the evaluation team must have a common understanding of who will be contributing and what their roles are. Further, educators should know who their primary evaluator is, who else will be contributing, and in what capacity.
Considerations for Planning
This section highlights key logistics and practical considerations for implementation that will help school leadership teams and evaluators plan.
- System for developing a cohesive plan of sustainable and feasible support. School leadership must have a system in place for collecting, organizing, and reviewing self-assessments and proposed goals as they are submitted to ensure that they can develop a cohesive plan for supporting educators that is realistic and “doable.” School leaders and evaluators should consider the format for submission—does the school or district have a technology platform that can be leveraged for easily reviewing across all of the proposed goals, or are educators submitting on paper? Who should be part of the process, such as department heads or grade level leads? What confidentiality issues should be considered at this stage? Taking the time to identify answers to these questions and outline a system in advance of beginning to develop Educator Plans will enable the school to move more efficiently through this process and increase the likeliness of a successful implementation.
- Communication across evaluation team. Evaluators within a school (or across a district if each school has only one evaluator) should consider how they will communicate during this process. It is a critical time for evaluators to sharpen their skills at supporting staff to set SMART goals and to develop a sound plan of committed support to educators. In addition, patterns and trends in the supports that educators identify as high-priority to their growth is a valuable source of information to school and district leadership as they plan professional development opportunities and strategies. Research has found that when professional development opportunities are aligned with teacher goals, professional development is more effective at changing teacher practice (Desimone, Porter, Garet, Yoon & Birman, 2002; Penuel, Fishman, Yamaguchi & Gallagher, 2007).[2]
- Meeting with teams and individuals. Evaluators should set aside time to meet with teams prior to meeting with individual educators to the extent possible. These meetings are an opportunity to finalize goals and agree upon planned activities and supports for multiple educators. If the majority of educators have team goals, this may eliminate the need to have individual conferences with many educators, unless the educator or evaluator requests an individual conference.
- Customizing for differences in roles and responsibilities. This is a key moment for considering distinctions in the roles and responsibilities of educators. While the vast majority of educators are likely to be evaluated against the same Performance Rubric, the emphasis on and prioritization of Indicators and elements can and should be customized. Consider, for example, the Expectations Indicator[3]: “Plans and implements lessons that set clear and high expectations and make knowledge accessible for all students.” Making knowledge accessible is critical for educators who work with students who are English language learners (ELLs) or have disabilities (or are ELLs with disabilities). Although most educators have responsibility for at least some ELLs or special education students, this Indicator should be more heavily emphasized for educators who, for example, primarily teach students with IEPs, especially those whose disabilities require modifications of curriculum, instruction, or learning outcomes.
Excerpted from Part II: School-Level Planning and Implementation Guide, pp. 25–26.
Participant Handouts for Training
Module 4: S.M.A.R.T. Goals and
Educator Plan DevelopmentAugust 2012Page 1 of 12
Module 4, Handout 6: Teacher Rubric At-a-Glance
The 4 Standards, 16 Indicators, and 33 elements in the Model Rubric for teachers:
(The complete Massachusetts Model System for Educator Evaluation Part III: Guide to Rubrics and Model Rubrics for Superintendent, Administrator, and Teacher is available at
Standard I:Curriculum, Planning, and Assessment / Standard II:
Teaching All Students / Standard III:
Family and Community Engagement / Standard IV:
Professional Culture
A. Curriculum and Planning Indicator
1. Subject Matter Knowledge
2. Child and Adolescent Development
3. Rigorous Standards-Based Unit Design
4. Well-Structured Lessons / A. Instruction Indicator
1. Quality of Effort and Work
2. Student Engagement
3. Meeting Diverse Needs / A. Engagement Indicator
1. Parent/Family Engagement / A. Reflection Indicator
1. Reflective Practice
2. Goal Setting
B. Assessment Indicator
1. Variety of Assessment Methods
2. Adjustments to Practice / B. Learning Environment Indicator
1. Safe Learning Environment
2. Collaborative Learning Environment
3. Student Motivation / B. Collaboration Indicator
1. Learning Expectations
2. Curriculum Support / B. Professional Growth Indicator
1. Professional Learning and Growth
C. Analysis Indicator
1. Analysis and Conclusions
2. Sharing Conclusions With Colleagues
3. Sharing Conclusions With Students / C. Cultural Proficiency Indicator
1. Respects Differences
2. Maintains Respectful Environment / C. Communication Indicator
1. Two-Way Communication
2. Culturally Proficient Communication / C. Collaboration Indicator
1. Professional Collaboration
D. Expectations Indicator
1. Clear Expectations
2. High Expectations
3. Access to Knowledge / D. Decision-Making Indicator
1. Decision-making
E. Shared Responsibility Indicator
1. Shared Responsibility
F. Professional Responsibilities Indicator
1. Judgment
2. Reliability and Responsibility
Module 4, Handout 7: Creating a Through Line